Home network systems have been provided that can include a set-top box media server that communicates with various components in the home, e.g., TVs, laptop computers, and custom display devices. To establish network communication paths, power line communication (PLC) networks have been introduced and have gained in popularity owing to the fact that the home's existing AC power grid is used to also carry entertainment data between various components in the home network system which are plugged into AC wall sockets. In this way, no new wiring is required, rendering most home power grids into effective network backbones.
Further, home network systems can share PLC networks with other dwellings, e.g. a neighbor's home. Usually, each home establishes a logical network. Each logical network then has a master component, which is responsible for mediating bandwidth allocations to each of the other client components communicating in the home network. When a component wants to perform a contention-free communication with another component in the same home or another home, the component asks the master to give some bandwidth (time or frequency allocation) for the communication. The master then finds some available bandwidth and lets the neighbor's master component know the first master will use some available bandwidth on the PLC network shared by both houses. If no other master in the PLC network is using the desired bandwidth, the first master receives a confirmation from each neighbor's master component and proceeds with utilization of the desired bandwidth. If the desired bandwidth is already in use, the first master component typically receives a rejection and tries to find another bandwidth.
One problem encountered during this process is the existence of a “hidden” master component in one dwelling that may not be detected by a neighbor's master device. More particularly, the present invention understands that in some cases not all components in the home network operated by the first master can “see” each other. As critically recognized herein, if the master component happens to be at a particular hidden position and does not “see” a neighboring master component, a fatal problem can occur in that bandwidth management may not be possible.